Patents by Inventor Shiho IWAI

Shiho IWAI has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11536687
    Abstract: A sensor element includes an element body including an oxygen-ion-conductive solid electrolyte layer, the element body having a longitudinal direction, a measurement electrode disposed in the element body, a reference electrode disposed in the element body so as to come into contact with a reference gas, and a heater configured to heat the solid electrolyte layer. A center of gravity of the reference electrode overlaps the measurement electrode as viewed in a thickness direction of the solid electrolyte layer. A length of each of the reference electrode and the measurement electrode in a front-rear direction is less than or equal to 1.1 mm, the front-rear direction being a direction along the longitudinal direction of the element body. An area of the reference electrode as viewed in the thickness direction is greater than or equal to 1.0 mm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Watanabe, Shiho Iwai
  • Patent number: 11525802
    Abstract: A gas sensor includes a sensor element, a detection device, a reference gas regulating device. The sensor element includes an element body having disposed therein a measurement-object gas flow section, a measurement-object-gas-side electrode disposed in or out of the element body, a reference electrode disposed within the element body, and a reference gas introducing section that allows a reference gas to be introduced thereinto and to flow therethrough to the reference electrode. The reference gas regulating device allows an oxygen pump-in current to flow between the reference electrode and the measurement-object-gas-side electrode to pump oxygen into around the reference electrode from around the measurement-object-gas-side electrode. A ratio R1/R2 of a reaction resistance R1 of the reference electrode to a diffusion resistance R2 of the reference gas introducing section is greater than or equal to 0.1 and less than or equal to 2.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Watanabe, Shiho Iwai
  • Patent number: 11506628
    Abstract: In a sensor element for a limiting-current type gas sensor measuring concentration of NOx in a measurement gas, an inner pump electrode located to face a first internal space communicating, under predetermined diffusion resistance, with a gas inlet through which a measurement gas is introduced from an external space is made of a cermet of a Pt—Au alloy and zirconia, and includes a first portion located on a surface farther from a heater part and a second portion located on a surface closer to the heater part from among surfaces opposing each other in the first internal space, an Au content with respect to the Pt—Au alloy as a whole of the second portion is 0.3 wt % or more smaller than that of the first portion, and a total area of the first portion and the second portion is 10 mm2 to 25 mm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Watanabe, Shiho Iwai
  • Publication number: 20220317084
    Abstract: A ceramic heater is provided in an electronic component, and by supplying electrical current thereto, a heat generating portion thereof is heated to a temperature of greater than or equal to 700[° C.] and less than 950[° C.]. An energizing current waveform of the electrical current to the heat generating portion is a pulse waveform, and a product of a pulse voltage Vp [V] and a period T [ms] of the pulse waveform is less than or equal to 600 [V·ms].
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Kana IBATA, Yusuke WATANABE, Shiho IWAI, Takayuki SEKIYA, Yosuke NORITAKE, Daichi KONDO
  • Publication number: 20220236212
    Abstract: A sensor element includes: a base part containing an oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte as a constituent material; at least one internal space into which a measurement gas is introduced; and at least one pump cell including an internal electrode disposed to face the internal space, an out-of-space pump electrode disposed at a location other than the internal space, and a portion of the base part located between these electrodes, the internal electrode includes a noble metal, the solid electrolyte, and a pore, and, in the internal electrode, a degree of variation of a boundary of a first region formed of the base part or the solid electrolyte contiguous with the base part and a second region occupied by the noble metal and the pore in a thickness direction of the element is 0.5 ?m or more and 6.5 ?m or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Takayuki SEKIYA, Yusuke WATANABE, Shiho IWAI
  • Publication number: 20220236210
    Abstract: A sensor element includes a base part containing a solid electrolyte as a constituent material; at least one internal space into which a measurement gas is introduced; and at least one pump cell including an internal space electrode disposed to face the internal space, an out-of-space pump electrode disposed at a location other than the internal space, and a portion of the base part located between these electrodes, the internal space electrode includes a noble metal, the solid electrolyte, and a pore, and, in the internal space electrode, a ratio of a length of a boundary of a first region formed of the base part or the solid electrolyte contiguous with the base part and a second region occupied by the noble metal and the pore to a length of a boundary of the solid electrolyte and the internal space electrode is 1.1 or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Takayuki SEKIYA, Yusuke WATANABE, Shiho IWAI
  • Publication number: 20220236211
    Abstract: A sensor element includes: a base part containing an oxygen-ion conductive solid electrolyte as a constituent material; at least one internal space into which a measurement gas is introduced; and at least one pump cell including an internal electrode disposed to face the at least one internal space, an out-of-space pump electrode disposed at a location other than the at least one internal space, and a portion of the base part located between these electrodes, the internal electrode includes: an upper layer consisting of a noble metal, the solid electrolyte, and a pore; and a lower layer consisting of the noble metal and the solid electrolyte, and a volume ratio of the solid electrolyte in the lower layer is greater than a volume ratio of the solid electrolyte in the upper layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2022
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Takayuki SEKIYA, Yusuke WATANABE, Shiho IWAI
  • Patent number: 11275049
    Abstract: A gas sensor includes a structural body made from an oxygen ion conductive solid electrolyte, a gas introduction passage which is formed in the structural body and into which a gas to be measured is introduced, a main adjustment chamber that communicates with the gas introduction passage, and a measurement chamber that communicates with the main adjustment chamber. A buffer space that communicates with the gas introduction passage, and at least two diffusion rate control members that communicate with the buffer space, are provided between the gas introduction passage and the main adjustment chamber. The respective widths Wb1 and Wb2 of the diffusion rate control members are less than the respective widths Wa, Wc, and Wd of the gas introduction passage, the buffer space, and the main adjustment chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Watanabe, Mika Kai, Shiho Iwai
  • Patent number: 11237129
    Abstract: A sensor element includes a layered body that includes a measurement-object gas flowing portion which a measurement object gas is introduced and flowed in and a reference electrode that is formed inside of the layered body and a reference gas introducing layer made of a porous material that introduces a reference gas being used as a standard for detection of a specific gas concentration in the measurement-object gas and that flows the reference gas to the reference electrode, the reference gas introducing layer including an inlet portion serving as an inlet of the reference gas and one or more gas flowing spaces provided over a region from the inlet portion to the reference electrode in a direction in which the reference gas is flowed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Watanabe, Shiho Iwai
  • Patent number: 11204336
    Abstract: A sensor element 101 includes an element main body 101a that includes oxygen ion-conductive solid electrolyte layers (1 to 6), and a porous protective layer 90 that covers at least part of the element main body 101a. The porous protective layer 90 includes a porous inner protective layer 92 and a porous outer protective layer 91 disposed on the outer side of the inner protective layer 92 and having a smaller average pore diameter than the inner protective layer 92.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Atsushi Watanabe, Takashi Suzuki, Shuichi Ozawa, Hirohito Kiyota, Satoko Moriyama, Shiho Iwai
  • Publication number: 20210302362
    Abstract: In a sensor element for a limiting-current type gas sensor measuring concentration of NOx in a measurement gas, an inner pump electrode located to face a first internal space communicating with a gas inlet through which the measurement gas is introduced from an external space under predetermined diffusion resistance is made of a cermet of a Pt—Au alloy and zirconia, and the inner pump electrode is located, from among surfaces defining the first internal space, at least on a surface farthest from a heater part in a thickness direction of the element, and is not located on a surface closest to the heater part in the thickness direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Yusuke WATANABE, Kengo TERASAWA, Shiho IWAI
  • Patent number: 11067533
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a sensor element includes a forming step. The forming step includes: a step (a) of forming an unfired electrode on one of plural green sheets; a step (b) of forming an unfired electrode lead and an unfired lead insulating layer on the same green sheet as in the step (a), the unfired electrode lead and to be connected to the unfired electrode, the unfired lead insulating layer surrounding at least part of the unfired electrode lead; and a step (c) of forming an unfired bonding layer so as to fill at least part of a region without the unfired lead insulating layer on the green sheet subjected to the step (b) and so as to overlap at least part of an edge portion of the unfired lead insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: NGK INSULATORS, LTD.
    Inventors: Shiho Iwai, Takeya Miyashita
  • Publication number: 20210063344
    Abstract: In a sensor element for a limiting-current type gas sensor measuring concentration of NOx in a measurement gas, an inner pump electrode located to face a first internal space communicating, under predetermined diffusion resistance, with a gas inlet through which a measurement gas is introduced from an external space is made of a cermet of a Pt—Au alloy and zirconia, and includes a first portion located on a surface farther from a heater part and a second portion located on a surface closer to the heater part from among surfaces opposing each other in the first internal space, an Au content with respect to the Pt—Au alloy as a whole of the second portion is 0.3 wt % or more smaller than that of the first portion, and a total area of the first portion and the second portion is 10 mm2 to 25 mm2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: Yusuke WATANABE, Shiho IWAI
  • Publication number: 20200309728
    Abstract: A sensor element includes an element body including an oxygen-ion-conductive solid electrolyte layer, the element body having a longitudinal direction, a measurement electrode disposed in the element body, a reference electrode disposed in the element body so as to come into contact with a reference gas, and a heater configured to heat the solid electrolyte layer. A center of gravity of the reference electrode overlaps the measurement electrode as viewed in a thickness direction of the solid electrolyte layer. A length of each of the reference electrode and the measurement electrode in a front-rear direction is less than or equal to 1.1 mm, the front-rear direction being a direction along the longitudinal direction of the element body. An area of the reference electrode as viewed in the thickness direction is greater than or equal to 1.0 mm2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Yusuke WATANABE, Shiho IWAI
  • Publication number: 20200309729
    Abstract: A gas sensor includes a sensor element, a detection device, a reference gas regulating device. The sensor element includes an element body having disposed therein a measurement-object gas flow section, a measurement-object-gas-side electrode disposed in or out of the element body, a reference electrode disposed within the element body, and a reference gas introducing section that allows a reference gas to be introduced thereinto and to flow therethrough to the reference electrode. The reference gas regulating device allows an oxygen pump-in current to flow between the reference electrode and the measurement-object-gas-side electrode to pump oxygen into around the reference electrode from around the measurement-object-gas-side electrode. A ratio R1/R2 of a reaction resistance R1 of the reference electrode to a diffusion resistance R2 of the reference gas introducing section is greater than or equal to 0.1 and less than or equal to 2.0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Yusuke WATANABE, Shiho IWAI
  • Publication number: 20200132617
    Abstract: A gas sensor includes a structural body made from an oxygen ion conductive solid electrolyte, a gas introduction passage which is formed in the structural body and into which a gas to be measured is introduced, a main adjustment chamber that communicates with the gas introduction passage, and a measurement chamber that communicates with the main adjustment chamber. A buffer space that communicates with the gas introduction passage, and at least two diffusion rate control members that communicate with the buffer space, are provided between the gas introduction passage and the main adjustment chamber. The respective widths Wb1 and Wb2 of the diffusion rate control members are less than the respective widths Wa, Wc, and Wd of the gas introduction passage, the buffer space, and the main adjustment chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2019
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventors: Yusuke WATANABE, Mika KAI, Shiho IWAI
  • Publication number: 20190154629
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for a sensor element includes a forming step. The forming step includes: a step (a) of forming an unfired electrode on one of plural green sheets; a step (b) of forming an unfired electrode lead and an unfired lead insulating layer on the same green sheet as in the step (a), the unfired electrode lead and to be connected to the unfired electrode, the unfired lead insulating layer surrounding at least part of the unfired electrode lead; and a step (c) of forming an unfired bonding layer so as to fill at least part of a region without the unfired lead insulating layer on the green sheet subjected to the step (b) and so as to overlap at least part of an edge portion of the unfired lead insulating layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Shiho IWAI, Takeya MIYASHITA
  • Publication number: 20180284057
    Abstract: A sensor element includes a layered body that includes a measurement-object gas flowing portion which a measurement object gas is introduced and flowed in and a reference electrode that is formed inside of the layered body and a reference gas introducing layer made of a porous material that introduces a reference gas being used as a standard for detection of a specific gas concentration in the measurement-object gas and that flows the reference gas to the reference electrode, the reference gas introducing layer including an inlet portion serving as an inlet of the reference gas and one or more gas flowing spaces provided over a region from the inlet portion to the reference electrode in a direction in which the reference gas is flowed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Yusuke WATANABE, Shiho IWAI
  • Publication number: 20170284958
    Abstract: A sensor element 101 includes an element main body 101a that includes oxygen ion-conductive solid electrolyte layers (1 to 6), and a porous protective layer 90 that covers at least part of the element main body 101a. The porous protective layer 90 includes a porous inner protective layer 92 and a porous outer protective layer 91 disposed on the outer side of the inner protective layer 92 and having a smaller average pore diameter than the inner protective layer 92.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Atsushi WATANABE, Takashi SUZUKI, Shuichi OZAWA, Hirohito KIYOTA, Satoko MORIYAMA, Shiho IWAI